Music for the Soul, Inc.
Programs
Budget
$98,000.00
Description
Perhaps nothing is as emotionally crippling to a person as sexual abuse. This betrayal, especially when it happens at a young age, distorts intimacy, destroys trust, and leaves a deep open wound in the heart that, left untreated, negatively colors all areas of life. According to DarknesstoLight.org 1 in every 4 girls is sexually abused in the U.S. before age 18. For boys the estimate is 1 in 6.
The song Innocent Child has proven highly effective as a therapeutic tool in working with both children and adults. We propose to create a sensitive, compelling documentary/music project that includes a music video of this song, interviews with survivors of abuse, and Christian therapists. The project will also include two other healing music videos. The goal is to help survivors of incest break free from the shame and guilt they carry by conveying to them that what happened was not their fault.
This documentary will be utilized by therapists, survivors support groups, parachurch ministries.
Program Successes
The song Innocent Child has received dozens of strong endorsements from therapists, pastors, ministry leaders, and incest survivors around the country.
Just a few:
"God has given the children of sexual abuse a voice through Innocent Child. Words are inadequate to express the freedom one feels when listening to the song."
Sandi, an incest survivor
"The power of Innocent Child is in how you share the truth of my experience. It is so healing, validating, and life-giving. It gives me hope!"
- Susy, an incest survivor
"I've seen this song move some really hard hearts"
- Paul Coneff, Straight from the Heart
"Meaningful and moving. The music is poignant and touching."
- Jon McNeff, pastor
"So good. I'm going to share Innocent Child with other therapists on staff here because I know it will be a blessing to our clients."
- Melea Stephens, MMFT, Wellspring Christian Clinic, Inc., Birmingham, AL
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Music
Beneficiaries
Adults
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
The program's long terms success, as with our multi-award winning documentary and music video project Somebody's Daughter, will be assessed through feedback from therapists, survivors, and ministry leaders.
Short-term Success
Vicky Didato of the Child Sexual Abuse Institute of Ohio says, "Music can tap so quickly into wha traditional talk therapy can take weeks - or months- to get to.
She uses our work, including the song Innocent Child, in both individual and group therapy sessions with abuse trauma survivors with " astounding results...especially with dissociative clients."
Didato says our songs about sexual abuse show "incredible sensitivity speaking directly to the hearts and souls of victims of sexual trauma and their emotional pain."
Based on Didato's assessment, having Innocent Child available to be heard through a video that can be seen on YouTube, Facebook, and other visual streaming services as well as our website could potentially result in helping therapists achieve earlier breakthrough with many of their incest survivor clients.
One therapist told me that Innocent Child was the game changer for a client who had not been able to cry about her abuse in two years of therapy.
Program Success Monitored By
The program will be monitored through feedback from our network of Christian counselors, ministry leaders, and abuse survivors.
Program Areas Served
Because our resources are available through our website for download, streaming, and purchase they are available throughout the US and the world.
$98,000.00
Description
Perhaps nothing is as emotionally crippling to a person as sexual abuse. This betrayal, especially when it happens at a young age, distorts intimacy, destroys trust, and leaves a deep open wound in the heart that, left untreated, negatively colors all areas of life. According to DarknesstoLight.org 1 in every 4 girls is sexually abused in the U.S. before age 18. For boys the estimate is 1 in 6.
The song Innocent Child has proven highly effective as a therapeutic tool in working with both children and adults. We propose to create a sensitive, compelling documentary/music project that includes a music video of this song, interviews with survivors of abuse, and Christian therapists. The project will also include two other healing music videos. The goal is to help survivors of incest break free from the shame and guilt they carry by conveying to them that what happened was not their fault.
This documentary will be utilized by therapists, survivors support groups, parachurch ministries.
Program Successes
The song Innocent Child has received dozens of strong endorsements from therapists, pastors, ministry leaders, and incest survivors around the country.
Just a few:
"God has given the children of sexual abuse a voice through Innocent Child. Words are inadequate to express the freedom one feels when listening to the song."
Sandi, an incest survivor
"The power of Innocent Child is in how you share the truth of my experience. It is so healing, validating, and life-giving. It gives me hope!"
- Susy, an incest survivor
"I've seen this song move some really hard hearts"
- Paul Coneff, Straight from the Heart
"Meaningful and moving. The music is poignant and touching."
- Jon McNeff, pastor
"So good. I'm going to share Innocent Child with other therapists on staff here because I know it will be a blessing to our clients."
- Melea Stephens, MMFT, Wellspring Christian Clinic, Inc., Birmingham, AL
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Music
Beneficiaries
Adults
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
The program's long terms success, as with our multi-award winning documentary and music video project Somebody's Daughter, will be assessed through feedback from therapists, survivors, and ministry leaders.
Short-term Success
Vicky Didato of the Child Sexual Abuse Institute of Ohio says, "Music can tap so quickly into wha traditional talk therapy can take weeks - or months- to get to.
She uses our work, including the song Innocent Child, in both individual and group therapy sessions with abuse trauma survivors with " astounding results...especially with dissociative clients."
Didato says our songs about sexual abuse show "incredible sensitivity speaking directly to the hearts and souls of victims of sexual trauma and their emotional pain."
Based on Didato's assessment, having Innocent Child available to be heard through a video that can be seen on YouTube, Facebook, and other visual streaming services as well as our website could potentially result in helping therapists achieve earlier breakthrough with many of their incest survivor clients.
One therapist told me that Innocent Child was the game changer for a client who had not been able to cry about her abuse in two years of therapy.
Program Success Monitored By
The program will be monitored through feedback from our network of Christian counselors, ministry leaders, and abuse survivors.
Program Areas Served
Because our resources are available through our website for download, streaming, and purchase they are available throughout the US and the world.
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| Ten areas of challenge and how we're addressing them. # 1 - We are a drill down ministry in a sound-bite culture We're streamlining our language. We've done a 5-minute video to explain the who, what, & why of MFTS. It's available on our website home page. We are working on a developing a podcast to help create interest. # 2 - People are used to turning to books for this kind of help. Director Steve Siler has written a book, 'Music for the Soul: Healing for the Heart,' to raise awareness of our ministry and explain its effectiveness. We have also added a Healing Music Guide at our website to help those in the healing professions understand how to best use our resources. # 3. - Ministry of One to Many hardest to fund. We've created a core group called the Soul Care Team with volunteers in 25 different cities to raise awareness of our ministry. We're increasing our presence on social media and creating You Tube videos. Also, we're offering in-home 'concerts' to introduce the ministry to potential new supporters. #4 - People fund food, shelter, & safety. A person starving for hope is hungry. Our resources are 'food' for the hungry soul. A person in a family plagued by addiction and/or abuse is not safe. We create safety by helping to heal families. We address these connections in our video, book, and at live events - and will do so in our podcast. # 5 - People don't understand what we're doing because its never been done before. - Our uniqueness can & should be an asset. We've started doing "Evenings of Healing Songs & Stories" to educate the public on our resources. as mentioned earlier we've published a Healing Music Guide to help counselors and clergy know how to best utilize our resources. # 6 - Streaming has replaced downloading as the preferred method of listening. Good for outreach - bad for revenue. We're pursuing new fundraising strategies and new configurations for physical delivery with a focus on physical books that contain QR Codes to deliver the music digitally. # 7 - Swimming upstream of the church - We're seeing a breaking of the ice with more churches incorporating our resources into their libraries. We were receiving more invitations to present in-home music concerts before the pandemic and will resume them as soon as it is safe. # 8. There's a Rock Star mentality even in therapy - We're seeking 'celebrity' endorsements. Pat Boone, Mac Powell (Third Day), Mark Hall (Casting Crowns), & Gloria Gaither are among those who've endorsed us. # 9 - Grants-Foundations : There are fewer options for faith-based orgs & our model doesn't fit what they're used to seeing. - We continue to address these concerns and have had success with grants from the Cal Turner Family Foundation, the Baptist Healing Trust, Giving of Life, & the MacLellan Foundation among others. # 10 - Cannot execute our long term strategic plan without additional staff. - We're hiring short term help as needed and actively seeking additional part and full-time staff. |
